City of Eagle Pass Few Days Away From Potentially Terminating Fire and EMS Services to Maverick County Residents Outside City Limits
By Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2026 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
The City of Eagle Pass is about eight (8) days away from potentially stopping fire protection and emergency medical services to residents living outside the city limits as negotiations with Maverick County officials reportedly continue without a final agreement.
The City of Eagle Pass issued notice of potential termination of fire and EMS services to county residents on September 14, 2026, providing the county only until September 30, 2026 to reach a new agreement and pay the past delinquency owed.
For decades, the City of Eagle Pass has provided firefighters, ambulances, equipment and emergency personnel to respond to fires, medical emergencies, vehicle accidents and other life-threatening situations throughout Maverick County.
That long-standing arrangement is now in jeopardy because of an unresolved financial dispute between the two governmental entities. City officials maintain that Maverick County owes Eagle Pass a substantial amount of money for Fire and EMS services already provided to county residents.
Despite the rapidly approaching deadline and the seriousness of the situation, officials from both entities have not held a comprehensive public meeting where all parties sit at the same table and attempt to resolve the dispute.
Even the collaborative Emergency Operations Center, which was designed to bring local agencies together during emergencies and strengthen coordination between the City and County, has apparently not participated in any meaningful effort to de-escalate the situation.
Negotiations are said to be continuing between City and County representatives.
However, no agreement has been publicly announced, and residents have received few details about what will happen if the deadline arrives without a resolution.
Maverick County previously authorized County Judge Pablo Garcia, Jr. and Commissioner Olga Ramos to negotiate with the City. Among the possibilities discussed were a transfer or in-kind contribution of County property to help settle the outstanding Fire and EMS obligations.
The Maverick County International Airport was mentioned during earlier discussions, although County officials later indicated they were unwilling to surrender control of the facility. The Maverick County Lake area has also been discussed as a possible asset that could be exchanged or credited toward the debt.
So far, none of those proposals has resulted in a publicly approved agreement.
The potential termination of services would primarily affect residents living in unincorporated areas of Maverick County who have long depended on the Eagle Pass Fire Department for emergency assistance.
The dispute raises serious questions about response times, ambulance availability and fire protection if City units are no longer routinely dispatched beyond municipal boundaries. County officials have not publicly presented a detailed replacement plan explaining which agency would respond, how many ambulances or firefighters would be available or where those emergency units would be stationed.
The possibility of services ending also raises serious legal questions for both governmental entities.
If a county resident were to die in a fire or medical emergency because no emergency unit was available or dispatched, the victim’s family could attempt to file a wrongful-death lawsuit against the City, the County or both.
Liability would not be automatic because cities and counties have broad governmental immunity under Texas law. However, attorneys could examine which entity had the legal or contractual responsibility to provide coverage, whether emergency calls were rejected or delayed, whether officials knowingly allowed services to lapse without a replacement plan and whether a timely response could have prevented the death or property loss.
